The Napoleonic Era (1799-1815)

Where we last left off…• Execution of Robespierre brought an end to the

Reign of Terror, or radical revolution• Established the Directory (five-man ruling body)

and two-house legislature• France still unsettled

economically & still at war w/Europe

“The words: Republic, Liberty, Equality, Fraternity were written

on every wall, but these concepts were nowhere a reality…All was

violent; nothing, in consequence, was lasting.” ~Talleyrand

Napoleon’s Rise to Power• Napoleon Bonaparte – Born in Corsica (1769) • Directory appointed Napoleon to lead French forces

– Campaigns in Italy , Egypt – Reputation as victorious military

leader

The Rosetta StoneThe Rosetta Stone

Jean Francois Champollion

Napoleon’s Rise to Power• Directory was weak, ineffective• Nov. 9, 1799, Napoleon helped

overthrow the Directory in coup d’état

• Assumed powers of a dictator

• Plebiscite was held to approve new constitution

“The Revolution is over. I am the Revolution.” ~Napoleon

Napoleon & the Social Order• Made unwritten agreements with powerful groups in

France• Granted amnesty to émigrés if

they took loyalty oath

• Reasserted principles of rev.– Equality of all male citizens

before law– Absolute security of wealth

& property• Napoleon reconfirmed the

gains of the peasantry from the revolution (land, status)

Napoleon & Economic Reforms• Set up a new method of currency – gold franc• Est. privately owned, centralized Bank of

France in 1800

Napoleon’s Political Reforms• Strengthen central gov’t

– Three consuls – First Consul (Napoleon) was head of state, had all power

• Dismissed corrupt officials• Set up lycées, or gov’t-run

public schools to train officials– Bureaucracy

• Appointed to office based on merit (earn it!)

• Universal male suffrage

Napoleonic Code of 1804• Standard law code for all people based on principles

of French Rev.– Ended feudalism, established equality of every man

• Limited liberty, promoted order over individual rights

• Restricted freedom of speech• Restored slavery in colonies• Single national holiday – Fête

du Concord (Bastille Day)“I am a soldier, a child of the Revolution

who has come from the midst of the people: I will not allow them to insult

me as if I were a king.” ~Napoleon

Napoleon’s Government• Council of State

– Proposed the laws.– Served as a Cabinet & the

highest court

• Tribunate– Debated laws, but did not

vote on them

• Legislature– Voted on laws, but did not discuss or debate them

• Senate– Had the right to review and veto legislation

Napoleon & Religion• Catholic Church of France -

division within the church• Concordat of 1801 (w/Pope

Pius VII)– Pope gained right to

practice Catholicism freely

– Napoleon gained political power

(support of people)

The Good: Emphasis on Education

• Created hundreds of public schools– System of lycées

“Of all our institutions public education is the most important. Everything depends on it, the present and the future. It is essential that the morals and political ideas of the generation

which is now growing up should no longer be dependent upon the news of the day or the circumstances of the moment. Above all we must secure unity: we must be able to cast a

whole generation in the same mold.” ~Napoleon

But…• Extreme censorship

– Secret police, spies– Closed newspapers– Propaganda

• Lowered the status of women

Napoleon’s Empire• Napoleon named “consul for

life” approved by plebiscite

• Later proclaimed hereditary Emperor of the French (1804)

Crowned himself emperor on Dec. 2, 1804

Coronation of Napoleon

Wife #1: Empress Josephine

Wife #2: Marie Louise(of Austria)

withNapoleon’s

Son

(Napoleon Francis Joseph Charles: 1811-

1832)

Wife #2: Marie Louise(of Austria)

withNapoleon’s

Son

(Napoleon Francis Joseph Charles: 1811-

1832)

France Loses Territory in Americas• Lost St. Domingue (Haiti) due to slave

uprising– Civil war led by Toussaint L’Ouverture

• Achieved Haitian independence

France Loses Territory in Americas• Napoleon decided to cut his losses – sold

Louisiana Territory to U.S. – President Jefferson’s administration purchased the

land for $15 million

1) France gained $ to fund operations in Europe

2) Punish the British!

Napoleon Turns to Europe…

Napoleon Set to Conquer Europe Annexed parts of Netherlands, Italy, Switzerland

Battle of Austerlitz = French victory over Russia, Prussia, Austria

Only enemy left = BRITAIN!!!!

Battle of Trafalgar, 1805British Admiral Horatio Nelson destroyed French fleet

(Nelson killed)1)Ensured supremacy of British navy2)Forced Napoleon to give up plans to take Britain

Napoleon’s Mistakes: Continental

Blockade,1806

Goal prevent Great Britain from trade with the rest of Europe, destroy economy Not successful

Second Mistake: Peninsular War, 1808-

1813

Portugal refused to comply w/Continental Blockade – Napoleon wanted to invade, but had to go through Spain

Enraged Spanish nationalism! Spanish people in Madrid revolted

against the French

Spanish peasant fighters, guerrillas, weakened Napoleon’s army

No decisive victory – pushed out of Spain by British troops (Duke of Welington)

Napoleon’s Empire in 1810

Napoleon’s Empire in 1810

Napoleon’s Family Rules!

Napoleon’s Family Rules!• Jerome Bonaparte King of Westphalia.

• Joseph Bonaparte King of Spain• Louise Bonaparte King of Holland• Pauline Bonaparte Princess of Italy• Napoléon Francis Joseph

Charles (son) King of Rome

• Elisa Bonaparte Grand Duchess of Tuscany

• Caroline Bonaparte Queen of Naples

3rd Mistake: Russian Campaign, 1815

3rd Mistake: Russian Campaign, 1815 Tsar Alexander I refused to participate in the

Continental Blockade Napoleon sent Grand Army to Russia

victorious @ Borodino

Russian Campaign, 1815

Russian army used scorched-earth policy Napoleon arrived to Moscow – Russians had set

fire to the cityLeft Napoleon’s army starving and exhausted

Russian winter left barely 25,000 soldiers to fight Retreat

Russian Campaign, 1815Napoleon & his Grand

Armée waited five weeks for negotiations with Russia

The French were forced to retreat back to France

Russian winter took its toll on the French army

Napoleon’s DownfallNapoleon’s DownfallNapoleon’s DownfallNapoleon’s Downfall Britain, Russia, Prussia, and Sweden formed Britain, Russia, Prussia, and Sweden formed

coalition (Austria later joined)coalition (Austria later joined)

Napoleon defeated @ Leipzig (some minor Napoleon defeated @ Leipzig (some minor victories)victories)

Allied forces occupied Paris on March 31, 1814.Allied forces occupied Paris on March 31, 1814.

Britain, Russia, Prussia, and Sweden formed Britain, Russia, Prussia, and Sweden formed coalition (Austria later joined)coalition (Austria later joined)

Napoleon defeated @ Leipzig (some minor Napoleon defeated @ Leipzig (some minor victories)victories)

Allied forces occupied Paris on March 31, 1814.Allied forces occupied Paris on March 31, 1814.

Napoleon Abdicates!Napoleon Abdicates! Napoleon abdicated on April 6 in favor of his

son, but the Allies insisted on unconditional surrender

Napoleon abdicated again on April 11.

Napoleon exiled to island of Elba in Treaty of Fontainbleu

Annual income of 2,000,000 francs

The royalists took control and restored Louis XVIII to the throne.

Napoleon abdicated on April 6 in favor of his son, but the Allies insisted on unconditional surrender

Napoleon abdicated again on April 11.

Napoleon exiled to island of Elba in Treaty of Fontainbleu

Annual income of 2,000,000 francs

The royalists took control and restored Louis XVIII to the throne.

Napoleon in Exile on Elba

Napoleon in Exile on Elba

Louis XVIII (r. 1814-1824)

Louis XVIII (r. 1814-1824)

The “Hundred Days” (March 20 – June 22,

1815)

Napoléon escaped Elba and replaced weak monarch The people rejoiced!

Great Britain, Prussia, Austria, Sweden, & Russia unite again““The devil has been unchained.”The devil has been unchained.”

Napoleon’s Defeat at Waterloo

(June 18, 1815)

Napoleon’s Defeat at Waterloo

(June 18, 1815)

Dukeof

Wellington

Dukeof

Wellington

Prussian General Blücher

Prussian General Blücher

Napoleon on His Way to His

Final Exile on

St. Helena

Napoleon on His Way to His

Final Exile on

St. Helena

Napoleon’s Residence on St.

Helena

Napoleon’s Residence on St.

Helena

““To die is nothing, but to live defeated and without glory is to die every To die is nothing, but to live defeated and without glory is to die every day.” ~Napoleonday.” ~Napoleon

Napoleon’s TombNapoleon’s Tomb